Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Medina: $1,339 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Medina
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Medina Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Medina

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,339

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medina and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medina and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,339 per month in Medina vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina $1,339
Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $1,801 per month in Medina vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina $1,801
Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Medina vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina $2,263
Mexico City $3,333

Medina is about 15% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medina sits 1% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 SAR 20.86

$10.75 MX$199

-48.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.40 SAR 118

$50.3 MX$929

-37.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$11.10 MX$205

-30.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$3.68 MX$68.1

-26.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.65 MX$30.42

-51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$1.30 MX$24.08

-80.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MX$61.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 SAR 5.35

$1.77 MX$32.68

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$3.05 MX$56.4

-69.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.01 MX$37.20

14.93%

Eggs

$2.03 SAR 7.61

$2.77 MX$51.1

-26.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 SAR 20.35

$11.91 MX$220

-54.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 SAR 27.04

$9.33 MX$172

-22.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.32

$15.02 MX$278

-16.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 SAR 9.15

$3.08 MX$56.8

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.95 MX$35.97

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.03 MX$37.54

12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

$2.21 MX$40.92

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$2.02 MX$37.41

-31.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.82 MX$33.67

-29.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 SAR 3.22

$1.52 MX$28.07

-43.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$1.28 MX$23.65

-40.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$5.27 MX$97.4

38.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$36.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$78.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.31 MX$5.82

248.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.53 SAR 141

$19.85 MX$367

89.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$2.00 MX$36.93

-32.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$0.53 MX$9.86

207.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 SAR 21.32

$5.62 MX$104

1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.52 MX$28.07

-57.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.7K SAR 156.4K

$21.0K MX$388.7K

98.14%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

$25.2K MX$465.3K

-18.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$152 SAR 570

$62.5 MX$1,155

143.11%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.74 SAR 104

$28.77 MX$532

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 SAR 337

$34.45 MX$637

160.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 SAR 301

$57.1 MX$1,055

40.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.94 SAR 33.54

$24.81 MX$458

-63.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 SAR 50.2

$6.67 MX$123

100.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$288 SAR 1,080

$431 MX$7,964

-33.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,525 SAR 20.7K

$11.7K MX$216.9K

-52.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.85 SAR 138

$70.8 MX$1,308

-47.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 SAR 199

$51.8 MX$958

2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 SAR 253

$109 MX$2,011

-37.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 SAR 260

$112 MX$2,076

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,088

$1,051 MX$19.4K

-47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 SAR 1,929

$665 MX$12.3K

-22.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 SAR 2,836

$2,346 MX$43.3K

-67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 SAR 2,172

$1,227 MX$22.7K

-52.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 SAR 8,446

$3,554 MX$65.7K

-36.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,324 SAR 4,967

$1,977 MX$36.5K

-33.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,209 SAR 4,537

$975 MX$18.0K

24.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

11.3

-63.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medina: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medina

$514 38.4%

Mexico City

$665 42.4% 29.4% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medina

$269 20.1%

Mexico City

$126 8% 53.3% $144

Groceries & Markets

Medina

$190 14.2%

Mexico City

$323 20.6% 69.4% $132

Sport & Entertainment

Medina

$107 8%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 34.1% $37

Eating Out

Medina

$104 7.8%

Mexico City

$203 13% 94.7% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Medina

$102 7.6%

Mexico City

$155 9.9% 51.6% $53

Getting Around

Medina

$51 3.8%

Mexico City

$26 1.6% 49.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Medina versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Medina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Medina versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $323 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Medina

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

18:16 6:16 PM

9 h behind Medina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,100,093

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medina Mexico City 13,400 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medina
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medina vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 17% more than Medina, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,008 per month in Medina and $2,351 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $288 per month in Medina and $431 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,339, than in Mexico City at $1,567. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medina costs $1,339 versus $1,567 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.